Two basic characteristics of a service -- intangibility and simultaneity -- imply many consequences for management. Roland Van Dierdonck explores these and recommends a number of success strategies such as precise definition of the service concept, focus, internal communications and training,...

This paper empirically assesses the economic size (in terms of full time equivalent employees (FTEs)) of postponed manufacturing applications and related activities. Based on a survey among 782 companies, the differences in size and scope of applications between manufacturers, wholesalers and...

This paper describes the major barriers across the design‐manufacturing interface and examines ways to overcome them to achieve a smooth production start‐up. An integration model reveals that formalization facilitates a smooth production start‐up. Independent of the degree of formalization...

Admission scheduling is identified as an important strategy to match supply and demand in acute care hospitals. During the last decades, many different theoretical models of admission scheduling have been developed, but only a few of them have reached the stage of implementation. Several authors...

It is now quite widely accepted that there are benefits to be derived from an integrated management perspective of the flows of purchased parts, components and raw materials from suppliers into and through manufacturing facilities, and of finished products through distribution channels to final...

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically validate a model for assessing demand planning maturity in organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The authors developed a maturity assessment model for demand planning through iterations of theoretical and empirical work,...